When Is the Best Time to Buy a Mattress?

As is the case with most products, the price of a mattress will fluctuate throughout the calendar year. Many mattress manufacturers roll out new models during the summer months — and as a result, older mattresses are discounted during the months of April and May. Additionally, many brick-and-mortar stores offer sales during Labor Day, Memorial Day, and other three-day holiday weekends. Online mattress sellers may also offer holiday sale discounts — but in many cases, their prices remain fixed throughout the year. Read on to learn more about the best times to purchase a mattress.

Before deciding when to buy a new mattress, you have to determine whether you need a new mattress in the first place.

A number of factors determine your sleep health and hygiene, including your mattress’s durability, firmness, and quality. If your mattress is getting old and worn, you run the risk of developing insomnia, pain, poor sleep quality, and other sleep-related issues.

If you’re noticing any of the following signs, it’s probably time to get a new mattress:

• You wake up feeling stiff or achey somewhere in your body.
• You feel tired after a full night’s rest.
• You feel fatigued throughout the day, despite getting eight hours of sleep a night.
• Your mattress exhibits signs of wear and tear like lumps, worn edges, stains, lumps, and sagging.
• You’re experiencing allergy symptoms like wheezing and coughing, or your mattress is dusty.
• You end up in the middle of your mattress while you sleep.
• You find other beds or even your couch more comfortable for sleeping than your own bed.
• It’s been over seven years since you’ve purchased a new mattress (or you don’t remember when you bought it, or know how old it is).

Different mattresses have different lifespans, although the average length of a mattress’ “life” is around seven years. Even if you haven’t had your current mattress for long, it may be time to purchase a new mattress if you are experiencing any new sleep problems. Before you jump straight to investing in a whole new mattress, however, make sure your sleep issues aren’t a result of factors like poor sleep hygiene or sleep apnea.

Listed below are the most common average lifespans of the most common mattress types:

There are specific times throughout the year when it’s often cheaper to buy a mattress. Whether you’re buying a mattress in-store or online, take note of the following holidays and sales event to make sure you get the best deal possible.

Holiday sales rates vary by seller and brand, but customers can expect discounts ranging from 10% to as much as 50% or higher. Additionally, many mattresses are sold at discounted rates between Thanksgiving and Christmas, which is considered prime shopping season for the Christmas holiday.

Additionally, the months of April and May are historically cheap times to buy a new mattress. The reason: a large number of mattress brands debut their new models during the summer months (June to September), and will offer older models for sale in the weeks leading up to new product launches. These discounts may not be formally announced; shoppers should constantly check the websites of brands they like during April and May.

Shoppers should also keep an eye out for mattress store closures in their area. When a brick-and-mortar mattress seller decides to permanently shut its doors, models are typically sold at half-price or lower in order to clear the store’s inventory as quickly as possible.

It’s important to note that many brands, as a rule, do not discount their mattresses at any point during the year. As a result, customers should not wait for sales to make their purchase. However, this does not mean that these mattresses are more expensive. On the contrary — these prices are often some of the lowest rates available.

Today’s mattress marketplace offers more and more online buying options. Brick-and-mortar sales are no longer dominating the market, as cyber mattress retailers and user-friendly, direct-to-consumer options become more popular.

Purchasing a mattress online from your favorite brand is often cheaper, especially because you can often get free shipping and delivery (and sometimes even setup). Still, there are both pros and cons to buying mattresses online rather than in a brick-and-mortar store.

When making a decision to buy a mattress either online or in-store, take stock of the following factors:

Often, the cheapest places to find a mattress for sale online are seller-to-seller platforms like Craigslist and eBay. However, we discourage shoppers from buying mattresses on these sites because the models are often used (even if they are sold as “new”), which can limit the quality, durability and cleanliness of the mattress.

Unlike mattress brands and retailers, sellers on these websites are also unable to offer warranty coverage or mattress sleep trials. So while shoppers can sometimes save money buying a mattress on these sites, the long-term costs outweigh the short-term benefits.

Remember that the price point of a mattress is not the only cost associated with this particular product. Other cost factors include:

• Tax: Sales tax is applied at the point of purchase. Sales tax rates vary by state; the lowest three states are Alaska (1.76%), Hawaii (4.35%), and Wisconsin (5.34%); and the highest three states are Tennessee (9.45%), Arkansas (9.26%), and Alabama (8.91%). Four states do not have a sales tax: Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.
• Recycling Tax: Three states mandate a ‘recycling tax‘ with each mattress and box spring sold. Currently, recycling taxes amount to $11 in California, $10 in Rhode Island, and $9 in Connecticut.
• Shipping: A large number of online-only mattress brands offer free shipping to customers in the continental U.S. via UPS, FedEx, and other ground-based courier services. Customers in Alaska, Hawaii, overseas territories, and areas outside the U.S. typically do not qualify for free shipping. Brands that do not offer free shipping typically charge at least $100 for mattress deliveries.
• White Glove Delivery: Some brands include the option of in-home mattress assembly, packaging waste removal, and old mattress removal. This service — commonly called ‘White Glove delivery’ — is usually offered for $100 to $150 per delivery.
• Mattress Returns: A growing number of mattress brands offer mattress sleep trials; customers can test out their mattress for a certain length of time (usually 30 to 90 nights) and, if they are unsatisfied, may return the mattress before the sleep trial ends in exchange for a full or partial refund. Most sleep trials require mattress purchasers to cover shipping and handling costs associated with returns and exchanges.
• Repairs and Replacements: The cost of repairing or returning a defective mattress will depend entirely on the warranty. Some mattress brands will repair or replace defective mattresses at no charge to the owner. In some cases — such as prorated warranties — customers will have to pay a significant portion of the original product price in order to have their mattress repaired or replaced.

When you’re looking for the best possible deal on a mattress, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are some key tips you can use to make sure you’re getting the mattress you need for the lowest available price.

Research

Mattress brands vary widely in terms of price point, quality, and special offers. It’s important to compare how much the same or similar mattresses cost through different retailers in order to get the best bang for your buck. While it can be tempting to limit your search to a brand or two you’ve already heard of, doing your homework and keeping an open mind will greatly increase your chances of getting a good mattress.

Wait for a Deal or a Holiday

Date-specific deals are huge in the mattress industry. If you have a flexible timeframe in which to buy a new mattress, it’s best to wait for a holiday sale. Here are some of the usual annual holidays when you can score a great deal on a mattress:

• New Year’s Eve/Day (December 31-January 1)
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 15-21; floating Monday)
• President’s Day, or Washington’s Birthday (February 15-21; floating Monday)
• Easter (March 23-April 24; floating Sunday)
• Memorial Day (May 25-31; floating Monday)
• Independence Day (July 4)
• Labor Day (September 1-7; floating Monday)
• Columbus Day (October 8-14; floating Monday)
• Veteran’s Day (November 11)/li>
• Thanksgiving (November 22-28; floating Thursday)
• Christmas (December 25)

Buy With a Friend and Get a Referral Deal

Do you know someone who’s moving and also needs a new mattress? Or how about someone who also needs to replace their years-old mattress? If you team up with a friend, you just might be able to cut back on mattress costs with a referral deal. Some mattress and furnishing companies offer a referral deal when someone who purchases something refers you to the company.

Buy Online and Look for Free Shipping

Many cyber-based mattress companies offer free shipping, which can save you a great deal of money. If you choose carefully and dodge shipping costs on the mattress you pick out, an online retailer is often the best way to go. In comparison to brick-and-mortar stores, cyber retailers almost always boast major deals, along with no markups from third-party retailers.

Consider Durability

Ultimately, one of the best and most practical ways to save money in the long-term is to get a mattress that will last you a long time. While the average mattress lasts about seven years, some will last shorter or longer depending on the brand’s quality and construction, as well as the type of mattress you select. Do some research about mattress durability using our resources and customer reviews to make sure the mattress you choose will last a long time for the price.

Shoppers with a flexible timeframe for buying a new mattress should compare prices and additional customer costs associated with different online and brick-and-mortar sellers. If possible, they should wait for holiday sales to make their purchase. However, those who must replace their mattress sooner rather than later will usually find the best prices through online retailers and ‘bed-in-a-box’ brands.